02.07.2022 – Another beautiful day out there!

On our morning tours we saw our trusted friends – the Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in a big pod together with a few just new born calfs. When it comes  to birth, and also many other things, dolphins have a lot more in common with us humans than we would think! While giving birth, there usually is a midwife assisting the mother and also the new born to get to the water surface to catch the first breath as soon as possible..

After a while we left this big pod of dolphins to themselves and while looking for another species we stumbled across a few portuguese man of war. It took us a second look to realize that one was them was being eaten by a Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)! A sight, that we don’t get to see every day.. And also something you shouldn’t take as example. Even though Portuguese man o’war are very pretty in their appearance, they should be touched as they are poisonous and can cause a lot of pain to humans. Turtles being reptiles can candle their sting with their thick keratinized skin that is covered in scales.

In the afternoon we had a very fun ride first meeting a pod of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)  and afterwards again our friendly pod of spotties ! So far that not a bad start into the weekend and we’re excited for more adventures out there!

By Paulina Kalita

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins

15:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins

Stenella

10:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins

14:00 Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins